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IPD 'Street Performance Cam Kit'

I recently ruined the nose of my V15T and now have a chance to compare to the A cam. The difference is a lot more stark than expected. Idle quality is a lot worse (embarrassing) and the powerband falls off quite a bit earlier and harder maybe 300-500 rpm. Peak power is also down a fair bit on the ass dyno maybe ~20 hp which at 1.1 bar sounds about right for how it compares NA.

A and B cams are fine for unserious setups or if you've got one lying around. But to say there's little or no difference certainly isn't true
 
Thanks! Will have shop (PRECISION VOLVO, Schenectady, NY) do the work. Harland here says the VX cam is 'garbage', and wonder why he thinks that. Why would IPD, a reputable company, develop (now a billet, instead of cast) this Volvo cam design and sell it if it wasn't any good?
 
Mcloud said:
Harland here says the VX cam is 'garbage', and wonder why he thinks that. Why would IPD, a reputable company, develop (now a billet, instead of cast) this Volvo cam design and sell it if it wasn't any good?
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Because the "VX" (VX3) is a stock grind from Volvo, reproduced by IPD even though you can still order it from Volvo. It's a split pattern cam that was offered with a different head as a tuning package for the LH2.4 B230F's in Europe. It's better than an M for making power above 3k rpms, and probably makes emissions on LH injection cars happy, but the exhaust profile is just way too small. IPD's HP gains they show with the cam are from the B230FB, which would have different ecu tuning, a big port head, and I think even an exhaust. Look at the profile of your B cam, and the VX. The VX will have more lift on the intake, but less duration on the exhaust, If you want something hotter than a B, then you're going to want something with near 12mm of lift.
 
OVERDRIVE said:
Because the "VX" (VX3) is a stock grind from Volvo, reproduced by IPD even though you can still order it from Volvo. It's a split pattern cam that was offered with a different head as a tuning package for the LH2.4 B230F's in Europe. It's better than an M for making power above 3k rpms, and probably makes emissions on LH injection cars happy, but the exhaust profile is just way too small. IPD's HP gains they show with the cam are from the B230FB, which would have different ecu tuning, a big port head, and I think even an exhaust. Look at the profile of your B cam, and the VX. The VX will have more lift on the intake, but less duration on the exhaust, If you want something hotter than a B, then you're going to want something with near 12mm of lift.
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So either a K cam, V15 flavor, or the IPD turbo.
 
Daily driving a V15 n/a since about ten years ago. Sadly that recently ended no fault of my own or the cam. What really helped complete the engine upgrade was using a chipped LH2.4 EZK.
 
Mcloud said:
Thanks! Will have shop (PRECISION VOLVO, Schenectady, NY) do the work. Harland here says the VX cam is 'garbage', and wonder why he thinks that. Why would IPD, a reputable company, develop (now a billet, instead of cast) this Volvo cam design and sell it if it wasn't any good?
Click to expand...
Who the hell is Harland?
 
Mcloud said:
Thanks! Will have shop (PRECISION VOLVO, Schenectady, NY) do the work. Harland here says the VX cam is 'garbage', and wonder why he thinks that. Why would IPD, a reputable company, develop (now a billet, instead of cast) this Volvo cam design and sell it if it wasn't any good?
Click to expand...
Because it plays nice with emissions testing, LH 2.2 and 2.4, and gives some higher rpm gains. What IPD fails to advertise are the points OVERDRIVE brought up regarding the difference in head and ECU programming. I've come to realize they do this sort of thing a lot. As for the billet thing, it is bling, nothing more. You don't see Enem springing for billet cams and they make some seriously good stuff. IPD has been doing things like this a lot lately as their business transitions away from the RWD cars to the P80 platform and newer.
dl242gt said:
Daily driving a V15 n/a since about ten years ago. Sadly that recently ended no fault of my own or the cam. What really helped complete the engine upgrade was using a chipped LH2.4 EZK.
Click to expand...
I agree with you on the chipped EZK. A bit more ignition advance helps a lot.
 
FYI Before IPD sold the VX3 cam. They sold the 'Euro Grind cam' which was nothing more than a genuine Volvo A cam. I used to have one and sold it long ago having put in the V15.
 
Mcloud said:
Thanks! Will have shop (PRECISION VOLVO, Schenectady, NY) do the work. Harland here says the VX cam is 'garbage', and wonder why he thinks that. Why would IPD, a reputable company, develop (now a billet, instead of cast) this Volvo cam design and sell it if it wasn't any good?
Click to expand...
Simple, straight forward answer, because they know people that know very little about engines will buy them. IPD has sold all kinds of products over the years that are absolute, dismal junk. Why? Because they make money doing so. I bought a 1993 240 that had a VX3 installed in it and had a free flowing exhaust as well. Other than having a lumpier idle, there was almost no difference between a stock 240 and that particular car. It might have made 10 more hp once it was way up in the RPM band. It felt no different accelerating than a stock 240. Somebody wasted over $200 on that 'mod". IPD still sells the MTC ignition switches that last anywhere from one week to one year, even though they have had many failures. I recently bought their guaranteed fit 240 wagon sun visor clips. $2 vs. $3 for OE. I thought, give them a try, how can anyone F-up a simple part like that? Well, they can. Whoever made the mold made the opening where the visor slips into the clip too small. Way too small. Attempting to lock the visor in place would result in ripping the vinyl off of the visor. I called them about it. The rep played dumb. "What is it about the clip that isn't correct?" I explained the problem. His response, "If you file material off of the opening they work fine". Caught lying to the customer. They knew exactly what they were selling. Pure junk. The point of this? I've been very dissatisfied with IPD for many years. There is a reason none of the original staff still work there. I have plenty of stories about their current culture and customer service that does not line up with what earned IPD a decent reputation in the Volvo community in the past.
 
Well I've been following this and you've got me sold on the V15NA for my 91.

I checked the SKR to the $ and right now it works out at $322. Plus whatever shipping etc to get it here. It's a ways off though. I've still got 25K til my next timing belt!
 
DD Ranch said:
Well I've been following this and you've got me sold on the V15NA for my 91.

I checked the SKR to the $ and right now it works out at $322. Plus whatever shipping etc to get it here. It's a ways off though. I've still got 25K til my next timing belt!
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I spent $650 on cams for my 16v. For my E39, a set is $1100 plus valve springs. About the same for my K24-powered Acura TSX. Stuff is pricey right now!

Also, no need to change your timing belt when swapping cams :oogle:
 
DD Ranch said:
Well I've been following this and you've got me sold on the V15NA for my 91.

I checked the SKR to the $ and right now it works out at $322. Plus whatever shipping etc to get it here. It's a ways off though. I've still got 25K til my next timing belt!
Click to expand...
How did you get $322 from 4500.00 SEK?
 
Harlard said:
I spent $650 on cams for my 16v. For my E39, a set is $1100 plus valve springs. About the same for my K24-powered Acura TSX. Stuff is pricey right now!

Also, no need to change your timing belt when swapping cams :oogle:
Click to expand...

That's a great example and puts into perspective how comparatively inexpensive the old Volvo habit can be.

So 4500 SEK today is $408.81. For a cam shipped from Sweden.

I am tempted to do it before the timing belt is due!! There's a few other things have to get done first IRL.
 
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